ALTON – Tom Brewer, a great-grandfather from Tremont, Illinois, will begin the final year of his four year journey to raise funds and awareness for OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois on Saturday, April 24 at OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center in Alton.
The ultimate objective of Tom’s Walk4CHOI is to walk a path that will mark a cross over the state of Illinois to bless and support the healthy development of young lives.
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From the start, Tom’s mission has been to raise funds and awareness for OSF Children’s Hospital, the only full-service hospital for children in downstate Illinois. Donations from the 2021 walk will support The Heller Center for Kids with Cancer, helping kids thrive after a cancer diagnosis. This year, Tom’s challenge is to raise $20,000 in donations with matching funds applied to the first $7,500. The previous three years have raised a total of $47,000.
In 2018, Tom walked 128 miles from Rockford to OSF Children’s Hospital in Peoria. In year two, his trek started in Danville, covering 132 miles from the eastern part of the state. In 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Tom walked the 113 miles to the west, connecting to OSF HealthCare hospitals in Kewanee, Galesburg, and Monmouth.
Tom will start the final 153 miles from OSF Saint Anthony’s to finish the cross at 8 a.m., Saturday, April 24.
The 15-day walk schedule is expected to be (weather dependent):
• Saturday, April 24: OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center, Alton to Jerseyville
• Sunday, April 25: Jerseyville to Carrollton
• Monday, April 26: Carrollton to Whitehall
• Tuesday, April 27: Whitehall to Murrayville
• Wednesday, April 28: Murrayville to Jacksonville
• Thursday, April 29: Jacksonville to Virginia
• Friday, April 30: Virginia to Chandlerville
• Saturday, May 1: Chandlerville to Havana
• Tuesday, May 4 (following a two day break): Havana to Duck Creek (actual creek)
• Wednesday, May 5: Duck Creek to Kingston Mines
• Thursday, May 6: Kingston Mines to Bartonville
• Friday, May 7: Bartonville to Peoria (Civic Center)
• Saturday, May 8: OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois, Peoria – Noon
Supporters are welcome to join Tom for the last mile walk around the OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois campus in Peoria.
Contributions to Tom’s Walk4CHOI can be made online or by mailing a check made out to OSF HealthCare Foundation, Attn: WALK4CHOI, 530 NE Glen Oak Ave., Peoria, IL 61637.
For more information on Tom’s WALK4CHOI and his walk progress, visit his Facebook page.
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